Game apparatus.



PATENTED FEB. 11, 1908 F. H. COOK. GAME APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED MAR 12, 1907.

FRANCIS H. COOK, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 11, 1908.

Application filed March 12. 1907. Serial No. 362000 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS I-I. COOK, citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for affording amusement and at the same time materially assisting in training the eye and hand and affording instruction, the device being designated Game of the North Pole.

The device comprises a board upon which appears a map, preferably of North America, said board being provided at one edge with a handle and at or near the opposite edge with an attached pivot on which the board is adapted to tilt when playing the game, said board having upon its upper side pins and numerals and provided along opposite edges with grooves or channels. A depression or pocket is formed in the upper side of the board at a point remote from the handle and is the goal or North Pole. A ball is adapted to move over the surface of the board from a starting point to the said goal or North Pole, being impelled by tilting the board about the aforesaid pivot.

The game may be played by one or more ersons and numerals are located upon the board at different points representing land ings, arrows indicating the path of the ball and numerals showing the number of points made by a player in one inning or turn.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification: Figure 1 is a plan view of a game apparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line x-x of Fig. 1.

The game board 1 may be of any length and width and is provided at one end or edge with a handle 2 and at or near the opposite end or edge with an attached pivot 3 which is centrally disposed and in line with the handle, thereby admitting of the board tilting freely in every direction. A groove or channel 4 is provided in the surface of the board along each longitudinal edge, and eX- terior to the groove or channel is arranged. a guard 5 which rises slightly above the plane of the board to prevent lateral displacement of the ball. A map of North America appears upon the surface of the board and prominent cities and geographical divisions are accurately indicated, and named so as to acquaint the players with their relative location so that instruction may be combined with pleasure. Opposite to the handle and preferably in line therewith, is located a depression 6 which forms a pocket and corresponds to the North Pole and is the goal to be reached by the ball in playing the game. Opposite ends of the board are devoid of both grooves and guards so that the ball may pass off at either end and constitute a catastrophe in the voyage which causes the player to lose whatever has been earned in his or her turn or inning. A series of pins 7 stud the surface of the board and are arranged at different positions and constitute barriers to retard the progress or advance of the ball to the goal or North Pole. Numerals are provided at different points in the surfaceof the board and represent landings. The starting point is indicated at 8 and is near the center of the board. and is surrounded at the back and at the sides by pins or barriers so that the ball 9 is compelled in its initial travel to take a southern course or towards the Gulf of Mexico, thence northward along the Atlantic or Pacific coast. The ball 9 may be of any material and size depending upon the dimensions of the game board. and the dis tance apart of the pins 7.

In playing the game, the board is su ported at one end upon the pivot 3 and at tffe opposite end by having the handle 2 grasped in the hand. The ball 9 is placed upon the starting point 8 after which the handle is lowered slightly to cause the ball to move in a relatively southern direction, or towards the handle, and when the Gulf of Mexico is reached, the board. is tilted slightly either to the right or to the left to cause the ball to move towards the Atlantic or Pacific coast, after which the board is again tilted by raising the handle to cause the ball to take a northern course along the coast line and inland, the purpose being to make the landings indicated by the arrows 10 in regular order, so as to make a high count by claiming the numeral of the last landing over which the ball has traveled without mishap in its ourney to the North Pole. In the event of the ball running into the channel 4, the player loses his or her turn, but counts the numeral of the last landing made up to the point of the catastrophe which loses the player the ssj turn or inning. The player or partners making the highest number of points in one or any number of innings, Wins the game.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new is:

1. Game apparatus comprising a board provided at one end With a handle and having a pivot at or near the opposite end upon which the board is ada ted to tilt in every direction, said board laving a depression in its top side near one end and having grooves along opposite edges, and a ball movable upon the board by tilting the same upon its pivot.

2. Game apparatus comprising a board provided at one end with a handle and at its opposite end with a centrally disposed pivot and having a depression in its upper side at the pivot end, and having grooves along opposite edges of the board, guards exterior to the grooves, pins studding the surface of the board and a ball movable on the board by tilting the same upon its pivot.

3. Game ap aratus comprising a board having a hand e at one end and a centrally disposed ivot at the opposite end, a depression in the upper side of the board at the pivot end, and having longitudinal grooves and guards along the edges of the board, said board having delineated upon its surface a map of North America, pins studding the upper surface of the board and constituting barriers, and a ball movable upon the board by tilting the same upon its pivot.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

FRANCIS H. COOK. [L. s.] Witnesses:

ED. B. PoWELL, WILLIAM SLoUGH. 

